Are these really the funniest jokes at Edinburgh?

MAYBE you had to be there to appreciate just how hilarious they are. But the finalists for this year’s funniest joke award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are unlikely to have your sides splitting.

The winner was Ken Cheng with this one-liner about new 12-sided £1 coin: ‘I’m not a fan of the new pound coin, but then again, I hate all change.’

He beat stars including Frankie Boyle, Alexei Sayle and Ed Byrne to the award, Dave’s Funniest Joke Of The Fringe, presented by digital television channel Dave.

Cheng said yesterday: ‘I am very proud to have won. As a tribute, I will name my firstborn son after this award and call him “Joke of the Fringe”.’

The comedian, who dropped out of studying maths at Cambridge University to make his living playing online poker professionally, also reached the final of the BBC New Comedy Awards in 2015.

A panel of ten comedy critics toured festival venues listening to jokes before nominating their six favourites. The shortlist was then put to 2,000 people who voted for the winners.